IEC 61800-7 standard defines PROFIdrive profile

With publication of the IEC series 61800-7 in November 2007 the established PROFIdrive profile for Profibus and Profinet became an internationally standardised drive interface. IEC 61800-7 defines device profiles for electric variable speed drive systems and their mapping on existing communication systems by applying a generic drive interface. IEC 61800-7-303 specifies the mapping of the PROFIdrive profile defined in IEC 61800-7-203 on the communication systems Profibus DP (chapter 4) and Profinet IO (chapter 5).

With the PROFIdrive profile released in September 2005, Profibus and Profinet International (PI) has created an enhanced standard that can be used on both Profibus and Profinet. The PROFIdrive profile established with Profibus has now also been mapped on Profinet while maintaining the user interface. The separation of application and communication makes it possible for device manufacturers as well as users to use PROFIdrive applications on Profibus or Profinet and to freely select the optimal communication system.

The PROFIdrive profile describes the drive interface from the point of view of the control application, along with its mapping on the communication system. In six application classes, it covers scenarios from simple frequency converters to highly dynamic servo drives. After being available for several years as an application profile for drives with a Profibus interface, starting with Version 4.0 it is also available for drives with Profinet communication. The profile has remained unchanged from the previous version. Only the mapping on Profinet IO has been added, making it possible to operate drives for Profibus and Profinet with the same profile implementation.

Demand from machine builders

Machine builders and OEMs have demanded these options for a long time because they offer a greater degree of freedom. Now they can quickly and cost-effectively react to the changing demands of international markets and thus secure or expand their competitive position.

The application classes defined in PROFIdrive encompass both simple applications as well as high-performance synchronous applications. The clock synchronous operation of several distributed devices of a motion control application is an elementary requirement for a modern drive profile. This feature significantly influences the quality of motion control systems, particularly when synchronizing movements in connection with electronic gears, for example.

The standardisation of PROFIdrive in IEC 61800-7 is of significant importance to the economic success of the user. The stability and openness of the drive interface are important deciding factors.